Drastic drop in poaching after new law: More positive steps to settle issues
The ban on bottom trawling fishing in Sri Lanka has helped to ‘drastically’ reduce poaching by Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait, Fisheries Ministry Secretary W. M. M. R. Adhikari told the Sunday Times.
She said the reduction had come soon after Parliament in July approved a law criminalising bottom trawling as a punishable offence with provision to impose fines.
The reduction has come though the Government is yet to enforce the law.
The Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Amendment Act enables the courts to impose a twoyear jail term and a fine of Rs 50,000 on offenders.
The Sunday Times learns that the Government is to prosecute fishermen who are arrested for poaching in Lankan waters.
Northern Fisheries Associations confirmed that a drastic reduction of Indian fishermen had been observed in the past two months.
Mannar Fisheries Cooperative Union President N. M. Aalam said that though poaching had reduced significantly, some isolated boats did trespass into Sri Lanka's waters.
The Northern fishermen said the Sri Lanka Navy's intensive patrolling of our territorial waters appeared to be one of the reasons for the reduction in poaching by Indian fishermen.
Meanwhile a government delegation headed by Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera is to leave for New Delhi on September 13 for the next round of joint India- Sri Lanka committee talks on poaching issues.
Ms Adhikari said that at the next round of talks, both governments would further discuss other issues relating to poaching.
"We are hopeful of making progress on mutual agreements reached between the two countries. We see many positive steps taken by the Indian government, including the move to convert bottom trawlers into deep sea fishing vessels and developing Indian fisheries harbours," she said.
Last month, an Indian fishermen's delegation was in the country to inspect the condition of some 42 detained Indian trawlers after they we re re l e a s e d by the Ministry. A dele gation spokesman said most of their trawlers were severely damaged and funds were needed to repair and take them back to India.
India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj participating at the 2nd Indian O c e a n C o n f e re n c e in Colombo on Thursday outlined India's ‘ Blue Economy’ initiatives particularly in the areas of marine bio-technology, exploration and sustainable exploitation of ocean mineral resources, sustainable fishing practices, and harnessing of ocean energy.
"In India, we are implementing targeted programmes for re-energising economic activity in our islands and our coastal areas. There is also a renewed focus on strengthening marine research, developing eco-friendly marine industrial technologies, promoting sustainable fisheries and, ensuring the protection of the maritime environment," she said.
Meanwhile, 76 Indian fishermen were released from custody in Jaffna this week after the Attorney General informed courts that they could be released because of the growing goodwill between the two countries. They are yet to be repatriated.